2007/09/25 by Alexander B. Lang, Alexander Lang, Heinrich Römer · 4 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Orthoptera Research and Taxonomy #Bat Biology and Ecology Studies #Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00360.x
ABSTRACT We investigated the remarkable roosting behavior of Docidocercus gigliotosi , an understory pseudophylline katydid in the lowland forests of Panama. The insects used a spiny terrestrial bromeliad, Aechmea magdalenae , as a daytime shelter and were significantly more frequently found in those plants, which had been: (1) higher; (2) of better quality; (3) closer to ‘night time walkways’ into the canopy; and (4) showed a better central tube condition. The katydids demonstrated strong site fidelity, returning to the same plants for up to 3 wk. Such a choice may provide sufficient protection against some predators and serve as a suitable shelter for the offspring.